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The Khandoba Temple in Jejuri dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries under the Yadav dynasty. The temple transformed into a major religious site during the Maratha Empire. In 1608, builders constructed the main fort-like structure. Maratha rulers and generals heavily patronized the temple over the next two centuries. In 1737, Chimaji Appa gifted the temple large church bells won from the Portuguese at the Battle of Vasai. In 1742, Malhar Rao Holkar and Queen Ahilyabai Holkar funded major expansions and added the surrounding structures seen today.

The Jejuri Khandoba Temple is an exceptional example of Maratha engineering that blends a religious shrine with a military fort. Built atop the Jayadri hill as a fortified citadel, the entire complex is enclosed by massive black basalt stone walls. These defensive walls feature battlements and narrow weapon slits, a martial design necessary for protection during the 17th and 18th centuries. The construction follows the traditional Hemadpanthi style, utilizing precisely cut interlocking stone blocks joined completely without mortar or cement to ensure structural durability.

The approach to the temple consists of a steep staircase with over 200 stone steps. These steps are lined with 350 Deepmalas, which are tapering stone towers designed to hold oil lamps that illuminate the entire hillside during festivals.

The main dome, or Shikhara, rises directly above the inner sanctum and showcases a cross-cultural architectural style. It incorporates bulbous contours and small minarets at its base, reflecting an Indo-Islamic design influence that Maratha builders integrated into traditional layouts. This multi-tiered spire features intricate stucco patterns and decorative niches that contrast with the rugged, dark basalt walls below. Inside the fort, the entrance leads to a wide stone courtyard centered around a massive brass-plated tortoise embedded in the floor. This courtyard opens into the main sanctum housing the idols of Lord Khandoba and Mhalsa, surrounded by carved pillars and historic brass bells hanging from the stone ceiling.

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The Bhuleshwar Temple, situated on a hill approximately 45 kilometres from Pune, is an important 13th-century monument dedicated to Lord Shiva. Historical records indicate that the temple was constructed around 1230 CE during the reign of the Yadava Dynasty and was placed inside a stronghold known as the Daulatmangal Fort. During this period, regional religious structures faced regular threats from invading forces. To safeguard the shrine, the builders used an innovative defense strategy by designing the exterior facade to look like a plain Islamic tomb or fortress. This architectural camouflage successfully hid the Hindu temple from a distance for many years. Although invading Mughal armies eventually discovered the site and damaged several internal statues, the Maratha Empire later reclaimed the complex, conducted extensive restorations, and added a two-storied Nagarkhana (drum house).

Behind its plain outer walls, the temple features an exceptionally detailed interior built in the traditional Hemadpanti architectural style. The entire inner complex is constructed from high-density black basalt stone, which was specifically brought to the site to contrast with the lighter local stones of the hill. The structure follows a sophisticated, star-shaped floor plan that guides visitors through four distinct sections: the Nandi Mandapa (pavilion) containing a massive stone bull, the Sabha Mandapa (assembly hall), the Antarala (transition porch), and the Garbhagriha (inner sanctum). The lower walls of the assembly hall feature horizontal bands of detailed stone carvings that narrate sequential stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics. Large pillars decorated with high-relief carvings of Sursundaris (celestial dancers) support the roof, but the temple's most significant artistic feature is a rare carving of Vinayaki (or Ganeshwari), a female form of Lord Ganesha depicted with an elephant head and feminine attire. The layout concludes in the dark inner sanctum, where five distinct Shiva Lingams are uniquely placed inside a stone trench

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